New benefit delay hits disabled vets

New benefit delay hits disabled vets

Quote:The most seriously disabled veterans will now have to wait for their claims to pass a second review before they can receive any disability pay from the federal Veterans Affairs Department, according to a new policy ordered last week.

Veterans who have been granted disability for post-traumatic stress disorder or are judged to be 100 percent disabled or unemployable by one VA disability reviewer must now receive a second VA nod before the agency will grant any disability pay.

VA officials defended the policy, which went into effect immediately Tuesday and was issued to all 57 regional VA offices through a memo, a copy of which was obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

"It's always good to have an extra set of eyes on this stuff," said Scott Hogenson, a VA spokesman.

BombLoader

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get"

It makes sense to double check all new IU claims, since they are auditing the 1999 to 2005 IU'S, or they would have to do this all over again down the road. I wondered why they hadnt done this sooner.
The commission is getting the desired effect or i should say, Bush and Co, i have to call it like i see it. Really and truly, this thing is going to be a done deal, long before the 15 months is up. Heck, not really any need for any congressional action either, with Bush's appointee at the helm of VA, they can get the job done, just with a different slant and interpretation of the reg's, raters are only human and have a need to hang onto there job's. Courts you say, well Bush has put a lot of new federal judges in the system. You have to admire this republican machine and power they put together, it is extemely powerful. The commission was put together to make it look good. They cut there deal with VSO's on the cuncurrent pay, you wont see nothing but lip service from them.
Bottom line, vote them out in the 2006 elections or forget about it.

Quote:Mental health experts estimate that as many as 30 percent of all veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan will suffer from PTSD, a serious mental disorder characterized by violent flashbacks and paranoia that can render a veteran unemployable. Veterans diagnosed with PTSD and deemed unemployable are in among the highest-paying categories of disability.

BombLoader

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get"

I know that really big retro awards get a second look. If every 100% or TDIU claim that is awarded has to get a second look this is going to slow the whole process down. Denials don't get a second look ,only approvals. I think this is in response to estimates that up to 30% of returning combat vets from Iraq and Afghanistan may have PTSD. The VA is just quickly throwing up some extra roadblocks in the process of getting TDIU in anticipation. This is not about quality control but is about saving money for the government at expense of the vets.

Veterans who HAVE BEEN granted disability for PTSD OR are judged to be 100 percent disabled or unemployable by one VA disability reviewer must now receive a second VA nod before the agency will grant any disability pay.

Doesn't it sound like "NO more checks until you've been reviewed again."

At first it sounded like they were referring to claims in-process now but...

Quote:This is not about quality control but is about saving money for the government at expense of the vets.

AMEN, brother. I'm sure in some cases, this type of action may be warranted, but certainly not every bloody one of them! I can't wait for 2006. I hope we can get a NEW bunch of lunatics to run that asylum in DC then.

Quote:Veterans who have been granted disability for post-traumatic stress disorder or are judged to be 100 percent disabled or unemployable by one VA disability reviewer must now receive a second VA nod before the agency will grant any disability pay.

Looks like ALL PTSD ratings regardless of percentage will need a second reviewer to sign off that the rating is correct. Also appears ALL ratings regardless of disability that are 100% schedular or 100% by IU will also need a second reviewer to sign off on it. At least that is how I'm reading it.

Does that mean they are going back 5-6 years and
re-evaluating all IU claims?

If they are, does that mean they will reevaluate downward and reduce disability compensation awards that have 'been on the books' so to speak for 5-6 years?

I find that very interesting, because if they do reevaluate downwards, it would be a demonstration of their 'ineptitude' for having erroneously awarded a IU rating to begin with, for all to see and observe. That is basically what a reevaluation and downward adjustment would mean if you stop and think about it.

It seems to me like the VA raters are being set up to fail and to be the 'fall guys' who will ultimately get the 'blame' for having done a 'poor job' over the past 5-6 years.

And what about the poor vet who was in his/her 40s when he/she got rated as IU and hasn't been working - and now all of a sudden would find that his/her rating has been downgraded and he/she is being told to get out into the work force in his/her 50s - and WHEN his/her medical condition has done nothing but erode and not gotten better in the intervening 5-6 years.

This crap stinks. I am getting hot just thinking about it.

This type of stuff is doing nothing but strengthening my resolve to Stand Up And Be Counted!!!!!

I don't know how many vets will actually get downgraded as a result of this 'audit' but when the final numbers come out - my goal will be to discourage young people from joining the military on a one-for-one-basis with as many vets as get kicked off of IU.

This is not right.

This is immoral.

This is not what the American Government should be doing to those who have spent a lifetime in uniform serving Her.

I will do my best in the future to do everything I possibly can to defeat any current politician who goes along with this crap, at the next election.

I really feel sorry for those poor bastards coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. They don't have a clue about how shabbily they are going to get treated in the future by the very American government they are sacrificing for.

I am pretty disgusted with the VSOs for getting into this compromise with Congress. I fear they have sold vets down the river in their attempts to be Big Shots on Capitol Hill. They have set a precedent with this 'compromise' which just sets the stage for Congress demanding future 'compromises' of them - further watering down vets/military retirees benefits.

I just can't for the life of me understand WHY the VDBC is even studying the effects of CRDP which is NOT a VA issue, but a DOD issue.